A Story Of
by o00bubbles00o
Summary: Its a story of nieces, adventures, romance, and personal writing experiments. Read and Review. I hope to improve as the story goes on. I own none of it. Not even Jareth. *Sighs* Okay, I own some of it, just not the juicy bits!
1. Of Prologues!

"You never paid much attention, did you?" his smirked belied his arrogance.

"What is there to pay attention to?" She spat back at him, eyes flashing.

He stalked towards her, mismatched eyes flashing. "Your myths, your legends, your fairy tails." He was looming above her now.

"You- You can't frighten me!" She steeled herself.

"I am King. I believe I can do as I please." He reached out a hand to stroke her cheek.

She recoiled as if his touch was poison, and in a way it was. His eyes flashed in anger, and she turned to flee. His hand shot out to grip her wrist. He twisted her back to him.

"Let Me Go!" She shrieked, struggling as he pinned her back against his body.

"You really are a stupid girl, don't you know the rules?" He purred into her ear.

"What do you know about rules?"

"A good deal more than you, I'd say. I thought if anyone, you would know about fairy rings."

Confused, she said, "I wouldn't be here if I stepped into a fairy ring."

"This whole world is a fairy ring. And humans who step into fairy rings-"

"Will never escape by their own hand." The words were breathless. It had been a year since she dropped out of school, studying folklore and its roots in history, but she did remember that. "But I ran your stupid Labyrinth!" She was incredulous, and her fight grew stronger against him.

His chuckle was bemused as he loosened her slightly. "But that isn't the only rule you broke!" The king was pleased with himself.

"But-"

"And I thought you were supposed to be educated."

From no where and everywhere at once, a clock began to chime, thirteen times.

"But I ran your Labyrinth. I made it to the castle beyond the Goblin City!" There was a whine to her voice.

"No one likes a sore loser!" He chided patronizingly.

Catherine looked frantically around the room for any means of escape. She had taken the blind leap of faith from the platform in the Escher room, only to find herself embroiled in a face off she feared she may lose.

"What about my niece?!" You said if I made it to the castle, beyond the Goblin City, I could have her back!" She broke free, taking a few steps back into the blackness of the void. Even the air seemed to sparkle.

"The exact verbiage of our binding verbal agreement stated I need only to 'Give her back,' if my memory doesn't fail me. Nothing was mentioned as to who I was to return her to." The "give her back" perfectly mimicked Catherine's voice from a previous conversation.

"But who will you give her back to if not me?"

"Why, her parents. I'll just reorder time. No one will even know to miss you."

Catherine stepped back further. "I don't get it. I made it through the Labyrinth."

Mismatched eyes watched, looking wizened and almost sympathetic. "Have you forgotten everything from your studies?" The Goblin King shook his head. "My dear, you have done everything in the wrong way."

"But I picked the right doors, I made the right choices in the tunnels, and I survived those horrible singing birds!" She stomped her foot impetuously.

The king chuckled mirthlessly. "You take too much for granted. You danced and dined with the fae. Have you ever heard of Persephone?"

"Yes, her and- Oh." Stark realization dawned on her delicate, if slightly dirty at the moment, features. "I ate the berries that the owl led me to."

"I know."

"I know you know!" Catherine spat. "Why would any of the people I met on my way here betray me?" Her lip started to quiver in hurt.

Even the Goblin King softened, as did his features. "And you take another thing for granted. Fae folk relish in the chance to have a human play thing." He was suggestive, and he took a step forward, towards Cat.

"But that's not-" Yet another epiphany struck Catherine heard in the chest. That owl now seemed oddly familiar. "You- YOU-" she rushed at him, fisting flailing. He captured her hands.

"I led you to the berries. I saw you in my crystal, found you, and then led you to the Berries. I was The owl."

An angry howl came echoing from Catherine's mouth. She was enraged. "You are ROTTEN!" She punched the Goblin King in the arm to punctuate each word. "I have never met such and ARROGENT, SELF ABSORBED, UNETHICAL, IMMORAL SNAKE in my life!"

"Flattery will get you now where my pet." He stepped closer, giving her no momentum for any more blows. "Besides, I am not the only one to participate in your downfall."

"The dwarves?"

The king shrugged. "Not intentionally, I am sure. But you danced with them."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Catherine answered to the accusations. "You- I-" Eloquence escaped her at that moment.

"Your slip ups don't end there."

"But-" Catherine searched for the right thing to say. "You have no pow-"

"Don't lie to yourself, young thing. I have nothing BUT power over you." He smiled wolfishly.

"But-"

"You miss so much. I tell you to quiet your hysterics when we first met. You did as I bid. You took to the Labyrinth. Just as I bid."

"I was trying to do the right thing for my niece!" Catherine had tears dripping now.

"You did everything I bid you as you went though my Labyrinth, even if you did not know it. You've done as I willed. Don't you want your gift?" His laughter was loud and cold, like a line of clouds looming a head of a storm front.

"But its not-" _Fair. _She finished to herself.

"Don't bore me." Jareth almost looked ready to yawn. "You managed to make it thus far without whining, too much. Just accept your fate gracefully."

"I-"

"Have already lost. You're not going to win. Ever. Though I do venture to guess you'll continue to try. But then, life will be intensely interesting, to say the least." He grasped her wrists again.

Catherine frantically backed away, tripping over nothing and falling backwards, landing hard on the fog covered ground. As her head hit the hard surface underneath her, the Goblin King loomed over her. As the gravity of the situation hit her, she heard him say…

"I won you fair and square, pet…"

Darkness over took Catherine, and for then at least, she had some form of respite from what the cloudy future may hold.

* * *

A/N-

This is a prequel/middle chapter for a Fic I am working on when my day job is slow. I'll probably feel more motivated to elaborate on the scene if people read and review. Even constructive criticism to help me improve will get me exited enough to publish more!


	2. Of Unfamiliar Nieces!

Chapter One – Of Unfamiliar Nieces

Catherine hardly knew her niece, but based off of what she knew about her sister, it was going to be an interesting night.

Melinda, Catherine's sister, was married to a doctor, but still rushed her daughter Kennedy off to the emergency room if she heard so much as a sniffle, and Catherine had never even held the child, because until that point her sister had deemed her unworthy of even holding the little brat thus far.

In fact, the only reason Catherine had gotten roped into babysitting was her sister's desperation. They were visiting from New York, staying at a hotel because Mom and Dad have cats, and Queen Kennedy was far too delicate for pets. Mom was working an overnight, dad had a cough, and was therefore cast out as an option. In fact, he wasn't allowed in the same room as Kennedy. Melinda and Jakob had an all important dinner to attend, despite the fact that it was time for family Christmas. Networking was important, after all.

Catherine poured more bleach into the mop bucket. The dogs were kenneled up in the spare room, yapping a protest to their captivity. They were practically her children, and it was the first time in months they had been kenneled up.

With a sigh, Catherine dipped and wrung out her mop, as one of the rules of her babysitting had been she had to bleach every surface in the modest two bedroom house before the child was allowed in side. Her house was always cluttered with books, drawings, and journals, but otherwise she kept it spick and span. To her, it seemed the extra cleaning was an insult. She'd always wanted to be the "cool aunt," and the only reason she agreed to this was the fact that it may be her only chance at that.

"Chewy, Creature, its okay!" She tried to calm them through the door. A cat joined the yowling. "Na-Na!" She tapped on the door to calm them. It was ironic that they had to do all of the traditional family events in a hotel room because Kennedy couldn't be around pets, but in their desperation, her parents were allowing her to be baby sat by someone with two dogs and a cat, even though Cat had to keep the animals kenneled up the whole time. As far as Melinda knew, anyways. As soon as Melinda left, the Kennel was coming open. Catherine wasn't going to punish the animals any longer.

The cell phone buzzed. Her sister was texting to let her know they'd be there in a half an hour or so. Catherine sighed, smoking one last cigarette and emptying the ash tray before lighting some scented candles and opening the front door a few minutes to air the room out.

There were head lights coming down the street. Catherine slammed the door quickly and sat on the couch, trying to look nonchalant as she picked up the little red leather bound book she found at the flea market, and began to read.

Five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "It's open!" Catherine hollered. The dogs barked. "Chewy! Creature!" They quieted as the front door opening. Melinda was dressed impeccably as always her designer paten leather black boots slipped on the freshly mopped floor, and Catherine had to stifle a giggle. She carried a black briefcase like diaper bag in one arm, and a large marshmallow puff with red hair in the other.

"Thanks again, Cat. We'll be back for her at twelve. Call mom at work if you have any problems. And no smoking. And keep those animals locked up." She was firm.

"Just be back on time. I have plans at twelve thirty." Catherine smiled, reaching for Kennedy. Melinda recoiled.

"Did you wash your hands?"

Catherine narrowed her eyes, hoisting the marshmallow child out of her mother's arms. "Just last week I washed them. Go have fun, so you can get back in time for me to go out!"

Melinda's face way stony as she regarded Catherine. "I know you are kidding… But still. Ick."

Melinda smiled slightly and kissed Catherine and Kennedy on the head each in turn, and the sparkle in her eyes was the first indication of the old Melinda Cat had seen since Jakob had come into the picture.

"Get going. And tell your MicGuido husband I say hi." Catherine ushered Melinda out, closing the door and waving out the window. If her husband could make fun of her for being Midwestern, she could make fun of him for being an Irish-Italian.

"OW!" Catherine was snapped into awareness by a little fist wrapped in her hair.

Smiling, she untangled the little hand and set Kennedy's feet on the floor. Cat unzipped the little girl's snow suit, pulling it down. Then she unzipped the winter coat underneath of that, pealing it off as well. THEN she unhooked the snowpants and pulled them down. She undid two hoods before getting the toddler down to a little hoody, again, hood up, and some little sweat pants.

"Those are some bulgy little pants lady." Kennedy flapped on the floor on her rear, lifting her feet up.

"Nyuh!...." She grunted.

"Do you want your shoes off?" The little one nodded. Catherine pulled off her snow boots and realized the sweats were not the final layer. Under them was a pair of jeans, and when the hoody came off, there was a long sleeve shirt and stocking cap. Catherine gave up on looking for more layers, and tossed the stocking cap into the pile.

Once she was free from her layers, the toddler began to do just what she did best. She toddled. She toddled from the front door to the kitchen, toddled back to Catherine's bedroom, toddled back, and toddled right to the spare room door, throwing it open wide. The dogs barked in excitement.

"Nyuh!" The little girl pointed at the dogs, exited.

"Want to meet the puppies?" Catherine scooped up Kennedy and walked to the kennel as the cat darted out of the room into freedom. The dogs quieted as they were released, and Catherine sat Kennedy on the floor so they could become acquainted. When it seemed they could all play nicely together, Catherine slipped away back to the living room and the little red book.

When she sat on the couch, she didn't notice the large white owl on her porch, staring through the curtains into Cat's living room, wide eyes anticipating something.


	3. Of Books, Makeup, and Tortured Cats!

Cat had completely lost track of time, and considering she just started the book yesterday, she was surprisingly close to the end.

"Give me the child." The heroine demanded.

"NYAAAAAAAAaAHHHHH!" a wail came from the spare room.

Catherine sprinted in, the book still clutched in her hand. "Whatsa matter, baby?" Catherine scooped up the toddler and quickly inspected her. There was no visible damage, yet the baby continued to howl like gale force winds. Catherine bounced her, tickled her, and coddled the baby, but it was no use, and now the dogs howled to. The resulting cacophony was deafening, as if the local Symphony was playing completely out of tune.

After a diaper change and an attempt at feeding Kennedy, Catherine gave up, and sat her on the couth, checking the time. Eleven thirty. "Mommy will be here soon," She assured the baby, taking Kennedy with her into her bedroom, setting her on the bed. Cat took up her place at the vanity, doing her hair as the baby quieted, entranced by the kitten that had been absent up to that point.

Sighing in relief, Catherine finished moussing her hair and scrunching in waves before tying it up in a messy bun, creating a nest of hair on her head, some tendrils escaping artfully from the creation, to frame her delicate face, black hair and blue streaks hiding underneath each other like an orchestrated game of hide and seek. The hair cascaded like a waterfall over a precipice.

Leaning close in concentration, Cat began to work on her eyeliner. She narrowed her eyes, not focusing on nothing but herself as she tried to remove one of her own eyes in the process to trying to accentuate it. The irony of the thought was lost as the eyeliner shot a black mark across her cheek as the cat yowled. Slamming the eyeliner down and exhaling in consternation, she slowly turned to see what the problem was.

Poor, unsuspecting Na-Na. Naïve, she had thought she had found a friend in the toddler. The playful and mischievous look in the Toddler's eyes said something different, and Catherine was horrified to see Nagi, suspended in the air by her tail.

"KENNEDY! No! That's naughty." Catherine scolded freeing the poor animal, who promptly disappeared once again. "I don't think you are allergic to domesticated animals. I think they are allergic to you!"

Kennedy sniffed twice, and it was like a great dyke beginning to crack. Sniff. Sniff. "NYAHHHAAAHHHHHH!" Kennedy wailed. And wailed. And, just because she felt like it, she wailed some more. At this point, Cat recognized the tears as crocodile, and decided it was best to let things run their course. Besides, she wouldn't stop if Catherine tried anyways.

Catherine wiped the eyeliner away and turned back to the mirror, trying again. As a 21 year old would tell you, Beer Thirty was a time not to be missed. She rushed through the last of her make up and picked Kennedy up, not about to trust her alone in any room any more, as she found her "party clothes." It was difficult to get dressed with one arm. Finally, Catherine gave up, putting the toddler down, still howling so loudly she could give a banshee a run for her money.

One eye on the toddler as she did what she needed to, she grabbed her large orange tote. It didn't match the whole "black" look she was going for, but it would do the trick for the night. She grabbed a carton of smokes, (who doesn't smoke more when they drink?) lip gloss, an overnight kit, and a clean pair of skivvies. Just in case. Giving it a little consideration, she dug deeper in the underwear drawer and pulled out a little plastic sandwich bag, tucking it safely underneath her panties before any imagined people had a chance to peak at what was in side of it.

"Here." Catherine picked up Kennedy to show her the time. "It's midnight, right on the dot. Mom and dad will pick you up any minute." She wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure the baby, or herself. "Let's read until she gets here." Cat settled them in on the couch and reached for her little red leather book. "There are no pictures, but it's a good story." For the first time in an hour, Kennedy was completely quiet.

"'Give me the child.' "Catherine read the part of the heroine dramatically, and Kennedy seemed to like it. " 'Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way to the castle, beyond the goblin city, to take back the child you have stolen. For my kingdom is a strong as yours and my will as great. You have no- '"The page ripped, and Kennedy giggled, ripping it further into smaller pieces again and again until it was unrecognizable.

"Dammit!" Catherine sat Kennedy on the couch, checking the time. "12:10. DAMMIT!" She stomped her foot. "DAMN. IT!" Catherine slammed the cell phone back down on the counter. She looked at the baby, eyes staring daggers into the child.

"NYAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kennedy started to cry.

"I'm taking the dogs out, and then we are calling your mom!" Catherine put the tote down for a moment to leash up the dogs. Na-Na, still cowering under the couch from her traumatic experience, saw an opportunity to get to a perfect place to hide, curing up in Cat's panties in the tote, which Catherine strung over her shoulder and across her chest as Na-Na settled in.

"NYAHHHHHH!"

"You sound like your mom!" Catherine swung open the front door and looked back at the squalling 18 month old. "I wish the goblins would come and take YOU away, right now."

The dogs lurched outside after an owl that had just flown over the roof, pulling cat down the steps, her hand on the doorknob slamming the door behind her.

"NYAHHHHH-"Kennedy wailed, but it cut off, as did the lights in the house, leaving the front yard and porch shrouded in darkness.

"Kennedy!" Catherine pulled the dogs behind her as she rushed back into the house. The only light was the eerie glow from the scented candles, lit earlier that night. Trough their dim light, Cat could see Kennedy was gone.

She heard snickering coming from the spare bedroom. Scared of what may have happened, Catherine grasped desperately at the leash, not wanting to put it down. She held it like a baby clutches its security blanket on a stormy night. Cat bit her lip, moving into the room. The dresser drawer to her left slammed, and Catherine leapt out of her skin, flicking on the light in time to see a shadow disappear under the bed. "Kennedy?"

Something ran past her legs. "Na-Na?" She walked into the room. "Kennedy?!" She hoped the 18 month old was just hiding.

A snicker. A "shhhhh!" Catherine stood straight up, rigid and pale. "Who is there?" She whispered, backing into the dim living room. She almost tripped on the leashes, whirling around to regain her balance.

"Hello pet." A purr.

"Holy shi-" Catherine didn't notice her cell phone buzzing and lighting up, so frightened was she.

A few blocks away, a car speed towards Catherine's house.

"I can't believe we lost track of time!" Melinda pushed the gas.

"Relax, they'll still be there, no hurry." Jakob was nonchalant a Melinda hung up her cell phone, the call going to voicemail. Again.

Melinda was going to answer Jakobs comment, but by the time she had thought of something to say that didn't sound neurotic, time had stopped.

A/N –

I am going to need some more reviews, because I need to know what people are liking and not liking about my story for me to want to really continue. This is about the audience after all! And thanks to everyone who thus far has added me to your favorite stories and authors. I appreciate it!


	4. Of Goblin Kings and Sparkling Orbs!

"Hello, pet." The flickering light from the candles danced across the man's features, and he cut a formidable figure with his starched high collar, wild hair, and shimmering cape. Catherine couldn't help but let her eyes stray to the pants.

_Oh, dear…_She thought. "Where is Kennedy," She voiced. Catherine's voice was a little shrill, and her eyes were wide. Even the dogs were too shocked to bark. "I want my niece back."

"You want her so badly you wished her away? That's and odd way to show your affection." He smiled.

"I didn't think it could really happen!" Catherine sobbed a bit.

"Stop your hysterics." The strangely dressed man sounded bored.

Catherine sniffed, and squared her shoulders and chin, determined no to show weakness. "I want her back. If I thought someone was going to take her, I wouldn't have said that." Chewy looked from his owner to the stranger, unsure of who he thought was in more danger at this point, as Catherine's eyes flashed.

"What's said is said. Little Reagan-"

"Kennedy."

"Whatever. She'll be becoming a goblin soon."

Catherine's eyes widened. For a moment, she contemplated Kennedy's current striking resemblance to a goblin already, and almost decided to leave her to her own kind, but instantly she felt guilty. Admittedly, she didn't know the kid well, and yes she was spoiled, but even red headed goblin like babies who ripped books and wailed like a banshee deserved a chance.

"I can't let that happen." Cat pursed her lips, trying to control herself. The man produced a crystal orb, seemingly out of no where.

"What is that?" Cat was entranced as the crystal moved fluidly between his hands.

"It's a crystal, nothing more." His smile concealed something, and he never took his eyes off of Catherine. "But if you look at it this way, it can show you your dreams."

Catherine licked her lips.

"But this isn't a gift for an ordinary girl. One who's not good enough for her own family, unless they need something." Catherine finally broke her gaze from the orb.

"No. I want a chance to get her back."

His eyebrow rose. "You do? And what makes you think someone like you would be given one?"

"Well, this is like some dream from my book right? And in the book, then you have to give me a chance."

Sighing, he flicked his wrist and the front door blew open, the steps that normally led off the porch into the yard led to a barren hill and a waste land. At the bottom of the hill was a great imposing brick wall that was covered in moss, surrounding the foreboding scene. "Is that…"

"The Labyrinth." The man finished for her. Hedge mazes, brick mazes, jungles, even corn mazes. It was breath taking. Awe inspiring. And a little scary.

"You're- The Goblin King." Cat had a flash of realization of exactly what was occurring. Or not occurring. She knew she hadn't smoked THAT much.

"You have 13 hours to make it through my Labyrinth, and rescue your niece. If you reached the castle beyond the goblin city before the clock strikes 13, your niece with be mine forever."

"It's not that far."

"It's further than you think. And if you can't win my game, I think I will have to keep you." His voice so close, his breath on Cat's neck. "Catherine."

A shiver went down her spine. "It's not that far at all." Catherine took a deep breath. She turned to glare at the Goblin King, but he was gone.


	5. Of fleas, dogs, and urine!

A/N- I am going to put off updating until I get a few more reviews. And might I add, they don't need to be rave, or glowing. They can be a little constructive. I would rather be anything than mediocre. That includes crappy! :P

"Ruff!" Catherine looked down and saw chewy growling at fleas as he itched his ear.

"Chewy, Creature?" Catherine realized she never put the leach or her purse down. She reached into her bag for her cigarettes, something she was glad she brought, and shrieked as something furry moved against her fingers. She wrenched the tote open. "Na-Na! What are you doing here?" Catherine couldn't decide if this was to her benefit or detriment. "Too late to do anything about you guys being here now. Come on, guys." She led the way past the gnarled tree with a 13 houred clock face on it and down the hill to the walls.

They loomed tall and ominous above her. "Where is the door?" She muttered, surveying the endless expanse of wall to her left and right. She heard water running a few feet from her and looked down. Chewy had his leg lifted high against the wall, peeing like he'd been holding it for weeks. "Good boy!" something rumbled, and Catherine looked up to see an opening in the wall. Before her was a long corridor running parallel with the wall from left to right. She looked down at the dogs and at the cat in the bag. "You guys behave!" She sternly warned them before entering the corridor.

"Left or right?" She looked down either way, but they both looked the same.

"Arf!" Creature got excited, running down the path to the left, dragging the group behind him. Catherine cursed as she came up behind him, coming to a stop. He was staring at what looked like a regular wall to Catherine.

"'Allo!" Catherine jumped, looking around. "Down 'ere!" Catherine's eyes followed the voice to a little blue glow worm sitting where a brick was missing.

"Was it you that said hello to me?" Catherine leaned close.

"No, I said 'allo to you, but that's close enough." The worm was so small, Catherine couldn't even see its lips move.

"What's up with this place?" Catherine said under her breath, going to her knees. "You can talk?"

"Of course I can! And so can you." The worm may have winked, but Catherine couldn't tell.

"Yes, I can. Listen, I'm on a schedule. Can you just point me in the direction of the Labyrinth?

"Your creature seems to know where to go." The worm indicated the dog.

Catherine's eyes widened, something they'd done a lot in the last few minutes. "How do you know his name?"

"Name, what's his name?"

"Creature!"

The worm cocked its head to the side. "Why would anyone name someone creature?"

Catherine sighed. "Because he looks like something out of a Jim Henson movie. And what do you mean? He's staring at that wall."

"Who is?"

"Never mind. How do I get in the Labyrinth?"

"Why, there is an entrance right there!" The little worm motioned to Creature's wall with his head.

"That is a solid wall. How will that take me anywhere?" Catherine was getting frustrated.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" The worm chuckled. "You must be an Above Grounder!" He was excited. "Come inside! Meet the misses, and have some tea."

"I can't today, but thank you. I am in a hurry."

"Well, on you get then." The worm urged good naturedly.

"Which way?"

"Through the entrance there. Not everything is what it seems around here. This is the Underground, after all."

"Well, thanks." Catherine bit her lip and faced the wall, closing her eyes as she forced herself, tugging Chewy's lead as the dogs walked with her, making her way slowly, cautiously towards the wall.


	6. Of Corridores, Of Worms, and Directions!

The dogs barking and lack of bumping her nose got Cat's attention first. Catherine opened one eye, then the next, only to see an intersection in front of her. "Left or right? This seems to be the question of the day." Chewy and creature started to go left. They'd each been right so far, so Catherine was content to follow after them.

"Wait!" The little worm hollered frantically.

"Yes?" Catherine stopped and leaned back around the wall.

"Don't go THAT way! NEVER go that way."

"But you said my dog's seemed to know where to go!"

"The Labyrinth itself is the other way." The worm directed.

"What's this way?" Catherine asked.

"Nothing good." The worm shook his head gravely.

"Well, thanks." Catherine said brightly, thinking things were finally looking up as she turned around and headed down the right fork in the corridor, chit chatting with her dogs and petting Na-Na in the bag as she walked. The dogs continued to try and pull the other way, even as she disappeared around another corner in the corridor.

"So many young ladies almost make the mistake of going THAT way. I can't imagine why anyone wants to get into the Labyrinth, but if she went left, that would have taken her straight to that horrible castle!"

Catherine walked a few feet down the corridor before her dogs gave up on trying to pull Catherine in the opposite direction. The corridor in front o f them opened after a turn, and the maze finally appeared. Even though it was past midnight Aboveground, the midday sun shown over head.

The floor was sand covered tile, and the wall was a golden brown. There were brenches and canopies occasionally, and it was like something out of a shiek's courtyard. Only the many twists and turns gave away the fact that she was in a maze. Occasionally, Chewy and Creature would stop to make, and the sun was so hot, Na-Na had her head sticking up out of the purse.

By about the 8th time one of the dogs marked, Catherine turned and scolded them. "Is that really necessary?" She demanded, huffing a bit as she turned around, nose to nose with a dead end. "This wasn't here before!"

Catherine turned and found the narrow, desert like corridor had morphed into a large plaza, gray stone walls covered in lush green vines. Instead of a dry heat, she was greeted with a pleasant breeze.


	7. Of Mischevious Cats!

"Son of a-"

"ARF!" Chewy cut her off with a bark, shaking his head, floppy ears going back and forth. Creature's ears normally stood straight up, but one ear was cocked slightly to the left. His ears ticked a moved, like he was listening to the Labyrinth itself. Cat Shook her head.

"Good thing I wasn't in to the whole physics thing or the place would freak me out." Catherine herself didn't even know if she was being sarcastic. What ever she thought, one thing she know is that it looked like the only way open was back the way she came. "I am NOT back tracking now. There has to be another way!" She was now officially frustrated with how her first half hour in the Labyrinth was turning out.

Catherine reached into her tote and pulled out the sandwich bag. Inside was a hung of green and black metal pipe, and a tobacco grinder. She grabbed a bud of the green plant, and put it into the grinder, giving it a couple of turns before lifting the lid off. Inhaling deeply the skunky smell of relaxation, she filled the bowl with the leafy substance and tamped it down, igniting it with her lighter and taking a huge pull from it, holding her breath for a few seconds before letting a cloud of smoke billow out. She took a deep breath, and hit the pipe again. Another deep breath, and one more pull from the pipe. Cat set the tote down, stretching her arms.

"I am going to do 30 seconds of yoga, then I'll have the right head space." As Catherine went into the salute the sun pose, Creature cocked his head to the side and Cat could almost swear that Chewy rolled his eyes. "Hey, I don't judge you when your all bent over licking your-" Catherine wasn't sure if it was the Labyrinth or the smoke, but she could have sworn she heard Creature chuckle. Catherine rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Na-Na!" Catherine's eyes came down just in time to see Na-Na dart out of the orange tote and head towards an ivy covered wall. "Nagi!" If that cat took one more step, Catherine was going to use her full name. The cat did. "Nagi Louise Marie Carson!" Nagi was at the top of the wall, calmly licking a paw as she looked down at Catherine. "You little- AGH!"

Cat grabbed the leashes and her purse, running to the wall. "Get down here this instant!" The wall was too high, the cat stayed just barely out of reach of Catherine's straining fingers, and began to who slink down the wall. "Nagi! Na-Na! You're going back the way we came!" Cat walked parallel to Nagi, the dogs sharing knowing looks as she continued to attempt to jump up and grab the cat, who was picking up speed.

Frustrated, Catherine and the dogs chased Na-Na around corner after corner, twist after turn, until she disappeared from site around a particularly sharp bend. Catherine rounded another corner, hoping to catch her. "Na-Na!" She cried, tears threatening to fall. Even Chewy and Creature began to howl, occasionally nudging Cat to comfort her.

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A/N - I know its a short chapter, so I'm going to update twice today, and a special thanks to Not Written, for being my most faithful reviewer, its really appreciated!


	8. Of Future Goblins and Orbs!

Jareth threw the crystal against the wall, and the goblins around him cowered, his face a terrible mask of anger.

Surrounded by cowed subjects, Kennedy giggled, enchanted by the sparkles from crystal shards falling around the room, an interesting contrast to the dingy dirtiness that covered the surfaces. She sat among many pillows in a recess of the floor, goblins all around her, their only job to keep Kennedy busy. They had done a fine job of entertaining the toddler right up until the king's outburst.

"The cat's out of the bag. Something must be done about these animals! That damned cat led her almost a quarter of the way." He conjured up the clock. "It's just struck one, and now she is 2 hours ahead of schedule. Jareth began to pace, kicking any goblin who got too close.

"Nyah!" Kennedy giggled.

"Why anyone would want to wish you away, I don't understand." The Goblin King reached down and picked up the little girl. "But you would make a delightful goblin!" Jareth laughed aloud, his genial tone turning to a surprised holler as a little hand tangled in his hair pulled.

Mismatched eyes narrowed, and he magicked the toddler back to the stone play pen, blonde locks still clutched in her hand. As she got to her feet and began toddling after Goblins, Jareth's ire became amusement for a moment again.

"Now, Kennedy, what shall I do about your auntie-poo?" Jareth sprawled on his throne, juggling an orb between his hands as he thought. "Shall we introduce her to some of the inhabitants of my kingdom?"

A goblin yelled out. Jareth looked to see a commotion caused by a little red headed goblin-to-be sitting on one of his dumber goblins, biting his leg, growling and barking like she was pretending to be a dog. "I'll take that as a yes!" Jareth guffawed.

"Wuff, Wuff!" was Kennedy's answer.


	9. Of Adonis, and Blushing

Catherine was ready to give in to tears. "Na-Na!" She called weakly, sitting next to her dogs and fumbling for a cigarette as they tried to nuzzle her back into action. "Maybe she'll come back, just let me smoke and we can go. Just one cigarette." The dogs sat like sphinxes on either side of Catherine as she took a drag, one hand on Chewy's back.

"Oy! You there, little girl!" Catherine's shoulders stiffened. This situation she had gotten herself into was like the book she had been reading in some ways, yet completely unique in others. This voice belonged to something to harm, or help her. Slowly, she turned, finding herself looking up at a tall marble statue, much like the statue of Adonis, only without the benefit of a fig leaf. It was stark and white, chiseled abs, biceps, and… Cat blushed.

"I am not little, and I'm 22 years old, which I believe makes me a young woman." Catherine said, carefully averting her eyes.

"You look pretty short to me, love." Only his head moved as he spoke. Cat realized she was still sitting down. Scrambling to her feet, she brushed herself off, much more comfortable with this vantage point anyways. "Ah. That makes more sense then. What is it you are doing here, love?"

"Trying to make it to the castle beyond the Goblin City." Catherine took another drag.

"Why on earth would a fragile looking thing like you want to go there? It's a horrible place. You should stay here, with me." The Adonis winked, and Cat blushed again.

"A-As tempting as that sounds, I am now looking for two things in this Labyrinth." Catherine said with a sigh.

"Oh really?" He asked, his voice silky, smooth.

"Yes, my niece, Kennedy, and my cat, Nagi. Or Na-Na." Cat sighed again, sniffling a bit.

"Well, that's too bad." The Adonis smiled. Cat melted a little bit, and both of the dogs growled, barking at the talking statue.

"Chewy! Creature, Knock it off!" Her order was not heeded. The Adonis sneered a bit at the dogs.

"Why not take to the tunnels?" He suggested, a gleam in his eye that seemed familiar to Catherine, though she couldn't place it.

"How do I get to the tunnels?"

The Adonis motioned behind Cat. What was once a wall covered in ivy was now a dark, foreboding archway. When she faced him again, his face was a mask of revulsion.

"Creature! You can't go peeing on everything you see. He is NOT a fire hydrant." Catherine tugged at the leash, pulling the dogs towards the tunnel to enter.

The dogs backed slowly into the tunnel, watching with suspicion as the Adonis's eyes flashed one blue, and one green. A satisfied chuckle filled the Labyrinth as the tunnel entrance filled in, leaving Catherine shrouded in darkness.


	10. Of Caves and Points of Light

**A/N - I just wanted to say that I finished the actual story today at work, and am looking forward to finishing it here, and then revamping it, making it better. In order to do that, I need suggestions of how to improve, so reviews are going to be even more important now! Thanks!**

* * *

Catherine had never been in a cave, but she was pretty sure that this is what being in one would feel like. She could hear dripping of something she was hoping was water as she inched along her way. The dogs had considerably better night vision, but the darkness was so complete, as thick as porridge. Even their animal eyes couldn't pierce it.

"Hold on!" It sounded as if her voice was coming from some were else, and though she had only been in the cave a few minutes, it felt like the first words she'd spoken in years.

Cat waded though her bag, her voice triumphant as she grasped her lighter. Flick. Flick. Flick. Catherine shuddered as the lighter flicked to life, revealing a small perimeter. The space the small flame revealed almost added to Catherine's claustrophobia. Her dogs were so black they still couldn't be seen. What could be seen, however, was not pleasant. The walls were coal black, and when Catherine bumped them, they left black marks on her arms, and not bumping them wasn't an option, they were so close together.

There was no echo, and with every step, Cat god colder. She was suddenly very happy that she had taken the dogs out right before this whole ordeal started. She'd never been so happy about keeping her boyfriend's hoody.

Slime of some sort coated the upper part of the tunnel, mucousy to the point that it felt like she was in a great nostril. The dripping was not, in fact, water. She wished she didn't know.

As she inched her way through the cave, cautiously avoiding any mischievous drops of slime as they tumbled like disgusting acrobats to the ground. It seemed the tunnel went on forever in a straight line, and each minute she spend in the darkness made the walls feel closer, so dark she couldn't tell their height in some places, only that she could stand straight up and not bump her head on the ceiling.

"There's no turns or anything." Cat marveled. "I wonder if this leads straight to the castle." She mused, happy not to fell lost for once.

From a distance, Catherine saw a dot, a pinprick of light, bobbing up and down from side to side, as it moved towards her. She snuffed her lighter. She wanted to see whoever it was before they saw her. "Shhhh…" She warned her dogs, kneeling down to pet them both and keep them quiet.

The bobbing prick of light turned into multiple orbs, and behind those orbs appeared craggy faces, stumpy arms and round pot bellies. They were murmuring quietly to themselves, and surprisingly deep voices made it hard to understand what they were saying. The voices almost sounded reverent, like the soft melodic chanting of monks.

Catherine slowly stood, holding her dogs tight by the leash, wondering if they would help or harm her, yet again. The orbs grew both closer and in size, until the light got close enough to overtake the tips of her shoes by the time they stopped.

The little person in the lead lifted his torch, trying to see her face. "What is it?" asked someone from behind.

"I can't see!" Another called.

Deciding alienating herself from the people who might prove to be her allies would definitely be to her detriment. Cat kneeled back down, keeping her dogs camouflaged, black fur on black shadows.

"I'm Catherine." She smiled. She thought the statue had been so nice that these little guys would have to be, too.

"What's a Catherine?" someone asked in a gravely voice.

"I think she's a human!" Someone suggested.

"A Human!" A buzzing of whispered words hummed through the troop.

"Yes, I am." The bussing grew more fevered.

"Did you give up on the Labyrinth?"

"No, the nicest statue told me that the tunnels would be faster." Catherine furrowed her brow.

"It is faster, I suppose. If you are trying to get back to the front wall."

"But-"

"This tunnel goes from the entrance to the vine garden, and has a fork back to our forest. We were headed back from the entrance home." The puny little man at the front of the group spoke up. He seemed to be the leader.

"Can we follow you?" Cat asked, exasperated. They apparently knew the tunnels better than her, and what could it honestly hurt at this point?

"We?"

Cat pulled the dogs forward. "Chewy, Creature, and I."

They began to hum and buzz, talking again amongst themselves.

"We ain't supposed to help above grounders!" One of the dwarves from the back called gruffly.

"How would anyone know? I wouldn't tell!"

"The king watches everything." The leader said gravely.

"But what could he possibly do to all of you?"

"The Bog!" It was barely audible, but it threw the dwarf compatriots into a frenzy.

"The bog?!?"

"I ain't getting Bogged!"

"Anything but the BOG!"

A chorus of deep voices, surprisingly shrill in their terror, rose through the tunnels.

"Hey!" Cat yelled above the cacophony. "Are you guys headed to the forest or the maze?" She asked, gears turning.

"Forests."

"Well, I'll just have to let you get along your way then." Cat moved aside and let the little men pass, keeping out of the orbs of their torches, shrouded completely in darkness as she followed their glow through the tunnels, the only way they could safely help her being without their knowledge.


	11. Of Consternated Goblin Kings

Jareth cursed again. He hadn't expected the dwarves to return to the tunnels so quickly after their day's work gardening and maintaining the Labyrinth. But then again, nothing had gone his way thus far, so it was no surprise that yet another problem had reared its pruney head. He waved his hand across the orb. The vision of the retreating dwarves fading, being replaced by the image of a singular craggy face, brown skin cracked like old leather, beady eyes sunken in his head. A leather skull cap only differentiated itself from his skin because it was red.

The wall around the shriveled man were dark grey stone, mossy and dark, and like the tunnels, unidentified moisture dripped from the ceiling.

His eyes were down cast, and he looked beaten, though there were no physical indications that any bodily harm had been inflicted upon him. He was like a dog that had been beaten on too many times, or maybe not enough.

"Hoggle!" The King bellowed.

The defeated dwarf's head shot up, a gleam of fear in his eyes. "Ye said me name right!" His gnarled voice was just above a whisper.

"Do you want a chance to be free from my dungeons?" The King's voice was velvety and smooth.

"Yes. Yes King!" Hoggle's face was hopeful.

"There is a runner. If you stop her, I will let you out of my dungeons."

"Alright." Hoggle wasn't happy about having to waylay another unfortunate young traveler, but her didn't want to live in the dungeons anymore either.

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A/N - It's a short Chapter, so I will put another one up when I am done typing it up. Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions for things to do to poor Catherine in the sequal, review!


	12. Of Slightly Dishonest Dwarves

After traveling for what felt like hours, cat finally started to notice a gradual incline in the tunnel. Drafts of fresh air invaded the tunnel, luring Catherine forward with the promise of escape from the claustrophobia of the tunnels. It was impossible to see past the glow of the torches of the dwarves in front of her. She didn't know if they were aware of her presence or not, but from their reaction to the idea of being "bogged," she decided it was best for all parties involved if everyone at least acted like they didn't.

Finally, the black shadows lightened and became grey, and the torches started moving straight up. As they disappeared, the light that still shone was coming from the top of a ladder, shining like a spot light on Cat contemplated how she expected to climb to her freedom with two dogs. "Looks like I am going to have to make a couple of trips." Cat sighed, tying Chewy's leash to the ladder to keep him from wandering off and getting lost in the depths of the tunnels. She hoisted Creature up, carrying him fire man style, up the ladder, tying him to the tom wrung and putting him back on terra firma. She didn't want him to wander off into the forest. Cat was not about to lose another animal. She returned for Chewy, and climbed out of the tunnel. "Hmmm…." Catherine took a deep breath, savoring the smell of freedom from the tunnel.

The forest that surrounded her was filled with all types of evergreen trees. Firs, spruce, and many unfamiliar types of trees surrounded her, glittering like a well tinseled, lit Christmas tree. Something about it made her feel comfortable.

In the distance, she heard the sounds of music and deep baritone singing floating through the trees, drawing her deeper into the forest. The dogs pulled her away, but she used her strength to move all of them in her chosen direction. There was a rhythm to the music, floating underneath, working with the tune but not a part of it. It seemed the rhythmic sound was getting closer much faster than the music itself. The tree line seemed to split, creating a path lined with bushes, flowering with exotic and other worldly blossoms. The rhythm was coming from a dwarf, busily snipping away at stray vines and branches with hedge clippers.

"hello!" Cat greeted the small gnarled man.

"Oh!" He was startled, accidentally snipping off a shining blue blossom. "Damn it!"

"Sorry…" Cat said sheepishly.

The dwarf grumbled.

"I don't suppose you know how to get to the Castle?" She asked, inching closer.

"The Castle?" The man was confused for a moment. "Oh, the Castle. Yes!"

Chewy growled at the dwarf, a low and guttural sound. "Chewy! Mind your manners!"

"Hoggle knows just how to get to the Castle." He waddled over. Both Chewy and Creature were growling loudly at Hoggle, who began to wave his sheers in front of himself in defense.

"Everyone knock it off!" Cat shouted startling the three feuding boys into silence.

"Hoggle knows the best way!" He started waddling into the tree line. "Come on then!" He called over his shoulder.

Again, Cat practically had to drag her dogs to catch up with Hoggle. "I'm Catherine, or Cat, if you'd like."

"Hmph." Hoggle continued to pick his way through the woods, heading away from the voices, into a dark and eerie part of the forest, where the trees were almost as gnarled and knobby as he.

"Just keep up. And don't talk to me."

"That's kind of an odd thing to say to the person you offered to help." Cat responded.

"I ain't helping you." Hoggle skirted a pile of leaves. Cat continued to walk straight forward in the hopes of getting next to him.

"But you're taking me to the Ca-" Cat was cut off by a cracking sound and the feeling of the floor falling out from underneath her, perhaps because it was. The dogs tried to pull her up by their leashes, but the leads slipped out of her hand, as she landed with a thud.

The dogs turned on Hoggle, teeth bared as they advanced on him, lunging across the chasm in the ground. They looked around, disoriented as they landed on the soft ground, static electricity tickling their whiskers in the place Hoggle used to be.

* * *

Elsewhere in the Labyrinth, Hoggle landed with a sickening thud of his own.

"The Bog?!" He sniffed and knew right where he was, even before he looked around.

"Is my bog not pleasing to your delicate sensibilities?" The Goblin King leered down at Hoggle. "I always thought you enjoyed the bog of Eternal Stench, Heckle."

"Hoggle."

"Whatever."

"But Hoggle thought you were going to set him free if he set up that poor girl." Hoggle looked confused.

"No I did not, Higgle."

"Hoggle."

"Yes, well I just said you needn't be in the dungeon anymore. I never once said you would be free, I simply thought the bog would better fit someone as rotten as you." The Goblin King laughed, but it sounded more like a growl.

Guilt washed over Hoggle as he realized he may have doomed that girl for nothing.

"Never cross the Goblin King, Herschel."

"Ho-" Hoggle was silence as the Goblin King raised a hand, his laughter echoing around Hoggle after he disappeared. He wrinkled his already craggy nose as the bog farted, spraying juices that narrowly missed a shameful dwarf, left to wonder if King Jareth had been referring to a runner from long ago, or the one trapped in the oubliette now.


	13. Of Oubliettes and Cat Hats

"Damn it!" Cat stomped around the room after stretching. She looked up and saw her dogs looking down at her, whimpering.

"Stay there, you two! Don't go running –" the dogs disappeared from view. "off…" Cat sighed, digging in her bag for her pipe. She was still sort of high, so it couldn't have been too long since she'd been here, but her nerves were raw, and she needed to take the edge off.

She only took one hit. This place was trippy enough, she didn't want to get stoned cold and freak out. At least not any more than she already was. Cat exhaled, sitting in her cloud of smoke as she put the pipe back in her bag.

Observing her surroundings, she tried to think of a plan. "Everything is so glittery here…" She mumbled to herself, looking around.

"Fwend?" A deep voice rumbled out from the shadows.

"Who's there?" Cat looked around, truly scared for the first time since entering the Labyrinth. She didn't realize how much security her four legged friends provided for her.

Shuffling steps moved towards her as a great tawny beast stepped from the shadows, a gray and black striped fur hat on his head. Catherine screamed, scrambling back against the wall. The beast screamed, and rocks and pebbles from the floor moved towards him, almost protectively.

Catherine was panting, convinced now this Labyrinth would be the death of her. And something about that grey hat was strangely familiar.

"Ludo fwend!" The beast spoke again, voice a little softer.

Cat was just trying to focus on the coonskin cap when realization dawned on her. "You killed my cat, you rat bastard!" Cat sobbed and began to cry. "Na-Na!" She sobbed the cat's name, hiding her head in her hands as she wallowed in self-blame.

She looked up, eyes flashing in anger. This was the last straw for her. Monster or not, she was going to do some serious damage. She stepped towards this "Ludo" beast, fire in her eyes quickly extinguished as the cat hat stretched, calmly cleaning a paw.

"Na-Na!" This sob was one of relief as the cat leapt from Ludo's head and into Catherine's arms, mewing excitedly.

"Na-Na?" Ludo cocked his head to the side.

Catherine held the kitten up. "Na-Na," she indicated.

"Na-Na fwend."

"And I am Catherine." Cat smiled, assuming the bumbling fuzz ball in front of her was a big old teddy bear.

"Cat-rin fwend!" Ludo stepped towards Catherine.

"Umm, Cat is okay. What's your name again? Ludo?"

"Cat Ludo's fwend." Ludo closed the gap and gathered Cat up in a big old hairy hug.

"Thank you for keeping Na-Na safe, Ludo."

"Ludo smiled, releasing Cat from the warm embrace, Na-Na purring from the warmth.

"I know just how to repay you." Cat smiled, and reaching in the bag, she pulled out her sandwich bag." We may be here a while. Sit by me, Ludo."

She sat Indian style on the floor, patting the ground next to her as she loaded another bowl.


	14. Of the Munchies and Misused Old English

"Ludo hungwy…" Cat giggled, stroking Na-Na's ears as the cat purred contentedly.

"Arf!" Cat looked up. Dangling from the hold in the ceiling was a long chord that looked suspiciously like two leashes strung together and ganging from it was a ring that looked suspiciously like a collar. Barking down from the hole were two little black dogs.

"Chewy! Creature!" Cat was almost overwhelmed with the union that was occurring.

"Ruff!" The dogs barked again, and Na-Na jumped from Cat's arms to the collar, latching her claws around it and mewing. The dogs grabbed a branch that the leashes were tied to in their mouths and began to walk away from the hole, hoisting Na-Na to freedom. In moments, the leash was back, and Cat was straining on her toes to try and reach the collar.

"Ludo help!" Ludo stumbled over, raising Cat above his head before she had a chance to protest with his long ape like arms. She tried to balance on his shoulders, able to grasp the leash mere inches from the lips of the hole.

As she reached the sunshine, back in the forest, she contemplated the fact that Ludo had almost lifted her out. "I can't believe I didn't try that before." She pet the dogs. "I need to quit smoking po-"

"Ludo out?" The great ape man's voice was muffled.

"Ludo! Yeah, let me think…" Cat's eyes searched the forest for options. About three yards away was a gnarled tree, branches littering the ground as if a windstorm had struck. Like lightening from that storm, and idea struck Catherine. "I think we have something, Ludo!"

Cat ran to the gnarled tree. It seemed the truck had a 13-hour clock etched into it. The hour hand was on four. "God… Wow, okay." Cat began to rush, grunting as she rolled a large branch, inch by inch to the hole. With a final grunt of exertion, she pushed the branch into the hole, the twiggy end reaching from the hole like arthritic fingers.

Ludo was surprisingly lithe as he climbed the branch, finally reaching daylight. "Scary forest!" Ludo looked around as the dogs sniffed around his feet and legs. Chewy lifted a leg.

"Chewy!" Cat caught him just before the dog marked Ludo as "His." Cat's look was scathing. He looked down guiltily.

"Okay guys, I am assuming that this wasn't the way. Lets head back in the other direction. And Chewy," she pointed at the dog. "I have my eye on you."

Again, she swore she heard chuckling. "Creature! You too!" The chuckling sound stopped.

Cat picked up the leads, opting to put them in her purse. It didn't seem necessary anymore.

Else where, the Goblin King smashed another orb in anger, growling. The goblins who littered his throne room cowered, and Kennedy clapped.

"If that chit costs me one more orb…" He began to pace. He reached the window, looking out on the panoramic view of the Labyrinth before him." He looked over his shoulder at the Goblins. "A philosopher once told me, 'If they want-est something done right, thou-est should do-ist it yourself!' That was just before I bogged him." The king leapt from the window, taking flight in his owl form.

One goblin turned and looked at another. "Do-ist?"

Another goblin cocked his head. "Thou-est?"

"Want-est?"

Another goblin shrugged and looked at all three. "I dunno-est, squelch. I dunno-est."

From everywhere and no where all at once, a voice echoed through out the throne room. "BOG!"

"Oh-est, Crap-est." Squelch popped and disappeared.

"Squelch!" The second goblin to speak was in shock. POP.

"Squeeb!" Called goblin number three as Squeeb, the second goblin to speak disappeared.

"Splotch!" Goblin number four was in shock, and began to run, his legs pumping in the air as he popped, fizzled, and flopped into the Bog of Eternal Stench.


	15. Of Unexpected Meetings

"Food!" Ludo had been commenting on his hunger for some time.

"That's called the munchies. It kind of sucks now, but when you get a chance to eat, you are going to absolutely be in heaven. A cracker will be like the most glorious thing you have ever eaten."

"Thewsty."

"That's another side effect, but even ice water will be so amazing, it will be like the first time you've ever had a drop to drink. Like when you cross a desert, and come to a Coke machine." Cat laughed. "If deserts had Coke machines."

"Coke?"

Cat sighed, looking forward to vegging out on the couch with some tater chips and a bottle of Mr. Pibb. For a moment, she contemplated on how even though Dr. Pepper had 23 flavors, Mr. Pibb on ice was sooooo much better. Even more so when it was from a can.

"Ti-wew-ed…"

"Well, I could use a nap too." Cat smiled. "I need to keep moving, but you don't have to come with." Cat looked up at Ludo, patting his arm.

"Cat fwend."

"Awe, Ludo, I'm glad I-"

"HSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

"ARGH!" Ludo yelped. Na-Na, his cat hat, was digging her claws into his head as she arched her back, furr fluffing out, almost doubling her size.

The dogs bared their teeth, growling at a majestic snowy owl perched on a bush.

"Its beautiful…." Cat was breathless, but she quickly snapped out of it as her dogs began to advance on the bird. "Leave it alone!" Cat suddenly wished she had kept leashes on the animals.

The owl took flight, but didn't soar towards the tops of the trees. Instead, it stayed just out of the reach of the dogs as they gave chase, Cat following behind with Ludo and his passenger lumbering behind.

After only a few minutes of running, the dogs disappeared into the trees after the owl. Gasping for breath, Cat turned to see Ludo bringing up the rear. "Not again…." She moaned, resolving to herself to quit smoking as soon as she was home.

"Arf! Arf, Arf!" The dogs broke back through the tree line, distress evident in their voices. The owl broke through the trees, mismatched eyes flashing as the tables turned on Catherine's four legged friends. The scurried behind Cat's legs, snapping around her calves at the owl as it hovered in front of her, eyes looking into hers. It flapped to the bushes, and Cat approached it. She was barely an arms length away from the bird when it shot into the air, screeching loudly.

"Berries! Look, the owl must have heard us talking about being hungry and led us here!" Cat examined the berry bush, wondering if she would see anything she recognized.

"Owl bad." Ludo furrowed his brow, staring at the tree line where the owl had disappeared.

"Ludo, its not the owl's fault Chew and Creature chased him!" Cat narrowed her eyes at the dogs, assuming Ludo was referring to the fact that the owl had ended up chasing the dogs. She began to gather berries of different colors, moving her leafy green plant from the sandwich bag to a cigarette package cellophane wrapper, sealing it artfully with her lighter. She filled the sandwich bag with berries, putting it in her purse. "Eat up Ludo, it looks like we made it pretty far, we earned a break."

Cat pulled out a cigarette, the benefits of quitting her habit out weighed by the glorious feeling of nicotine entering her blood stream via her lungs and coursing through her veins. She inhaled deeply, relaxing breaths in, bad vibes out with her exhalation. The cigarette was only half gone, and she felt like a new woman already.

"Lets get a move on…" Cat headed down the path, coming towards the place where she first met Hoggle. "Damn Dwarf. 'Hoggle.' Pfft!" Cat's face was hard as they approached the same music she heard luring her towards the treacherous little man.

"Hoggle Fwend," Ludo said remorsefully.

"What? No, he isn't! He put me in that cave!" Cat stopped to face Ludo.

"Hoggle?" Ludo looked like someone had just kicked his cat hat.

Cat turned and started moving towards the music. "Never mind."

They broke through the tree line into a clearing, filled with small, neat, thatched roofed cottages. They were in a circle, like when a wagon train holes up for the nights.

The cottages were surrounded a fire pit, and it was a blaze, flames of purple, green and red struggling to reach the sky. The flames were wild, bucking against the fire pit, like wild mustangs bucked against any fences that hold them in. It was like instant night in the clearing. It had it's own time.

Around the fire danced the wrinkled, shriveled men from the tunnel, and Cat realized what a striking resemblance they all bore to Hoggle. Especially one sitting by himself on a log at the edge of the fire.

"Join the fun, Hoggle!" Another dwarf encouraged him.

"Hoggle!" Cat squared her shoulders and marched into the circle, ready for a confrontation.


	16. Of Confrontations

"Hoggle!" Catherine stormed over to the dwarf, right through the middle of the celebration, completely oblivious to the celebration around her. She planted her feet firmly on the ground in front of Hoggle.

"ARGH!" He fell backwards off the stump. "Gid ord ord re reblet?" Cat peered over the log to see Hoggle's stumpy legs waving madly, his face planted firmly in the ground. Cat couldn't help but laugh.

"Serves you right!" Cat laughed again, and her sides began to hurt.

"Hfp mfp!"

"What?"

"Hfp mfp, pfp!"

Cat contentedly watched his legs wiggle a moment more. "Help you up?"

"Yps!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Cat giggled again, pulling his legs and backing up. The log created a teeter totter effect, and with a push down that was, perhaps, a little more boisterous than needed, Cat brought him over the top of the log, his momentum sending him face first into the ground with a resounding thud.

He stood up, eyeing her, his face disgruntled. "What-"

He spat dirt out his mouth. "How did you get out of the oubliette?"

Cat advanced on him. "That's what it's called!?" She was looming over the small man, a crowd of dwarves gathering around the motely crew of an incensed girl, two dogs and a big hairy beast with a cat as a hat. Small beady eyes watched and leathery ears listened. "That's what that place you trapped me was called? An oubliette? Really!?" Catherine was about to lunge at Hoggle, when Ludo grabbed her arm.

"Hoggle fwend!"

Cat sighed and the crowed buzzed and murmured, parting like the red sea as a slightly larger dwarf walked to her.

"There is a story here, miss, and a reason we ain't allowed to help you." His voice was grave, and while he was a good head taller than everyone else, he still didn't even reach Catherine's hip.

"Well, sir, no offense meant at all, but I am not sure you fully grasp the scope of what's on the line here!" Catherine crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the craggy faces around her. She came to realize that not all of the faces belonged to men, although the only thing that really differentiated the genders was clothing, and unless some of the dwarf men were into gender bending, Cat assumed the ones in skirts were girls.

"That we do miss, many years ago, probably before you were born, a young girl ran the Labyrinth for her little brother. Your friend Ludo there and Hoggle helped her, along with a fox goblin. She defeated the Goblin King using information from a red book created as a tool by another Labyrinth runner from hundreds of years before even your great grandfather was born." The small, recessed eyes of the speaker were grave, and Catherine didn't interrupt him as he continued. "Hoggle was sentenced to imprisonment in The King's dungeon. The Fox Goblin was banished to live alone among the dangerous firies, somewhere here, in the Firey forest. Ludo was sent to that oubliette, where you found him."

Cat sighed. "Then how did Hoggle get out of the dungeon?"

Hoggle cleared his throat. "The King told me if I prevented you from completing the Labyrinth, he would let Hoggle go. I ain't never trusted no one, 'cept for that girl I helped, 'specially not the king."

"Did you know Ludo was in the oubliette?" Cat's voice was soft.

"Hoggle knew. Hoggle figured the king may be lyin. After you fell in the oubliette, he bogged Hoggle. I didn't know if you would be able to get out without Hoggle. I got out of the Bog as fast as I could, but when Hoggle got to the oubliette, you were gone. So Hoggle came here to tell Olin there I was gonna help you. He had just given the okay when you came along."

"So you were just pretending to stop me so you could help me?" Cat cocked her head to the side. Hoggle was staring at a spec of dirt on his shoe as he nodded. "Oh, Hoggle!" Cat scooped the dwarf up in her arms as she kissed his bulbous nose. His leather face flushed as red as his skullcap as he tried to free himself from her embrace. The dwarves around them laughed. As Cat set Hoggle on his feet, Creature and Chewy dog piled him, licking his face until he was thoroughly saturated.

"Blargh!" Hoggle rolled our from under the animals, spitting and righting his skullcap. "Twasn't nothin' nobody else wouldna' done!"

"Well, thanks anyways!" Cat pat his head and turned to Olin, the dwarf leader. "But we do need to get moving."

"You don't want to go out in the forest now, miss." Olin touched her arm, his hands rough and calloused with work. "It's too dangerous. The fireies are about. This fire is the only thing keeping them at bay."

The dwarves had returned to their dancing and singing. "I don't have time to wait, sir!" Cat smiled. "But thank you for your concern."

Onlin shrugged. "I understand." He disappeared into the throng. Cat felt a tug on her shirt hem. She looked down and saw a tiny little dwarf boy.

"Hi, there!" Catherine backed down.

"I know you gotsta go, but will you dance with me first, pretty lady?" He beamed up at her, his little eyes sparkling.

Cat reached into her purse and popped a big berry into her mouth. "For one song, and then I have to go, okay?" The little boy smiled and nodded, and Cat scooped him up in her arms. They twirled and whirled together, giggled together, Cat tickling his ribs occasionally before setting him down again.

"Thanks for the dance little man, but I have got to get going." Cat tweaked his nose.

He waved to her as he rejoined his family and cat gathered her comrades to head on their way.

"Cat," Hoggle waddled up to her. "I'm coming with yous."

"Hoggle, you don't have to. If the King finds out-"

"The King watches everything. He already knows, and its not going to be long 'afore he comes after Hoggle. I might as well help ye while I kin." Hoggle smiled weakly. "There's not much else he can to than's already been done."

"Well, lets go see what the big deal about Firies is!" Cat tried to stay enthusiastic, walking out of the clearing. Cat was beginning to realize just how much wasn't exactly as it seemed her in the Labyrinth.

As the light from the fire got further and further away, Cat could swear she heard the King's mirthless laughter.


	17. Of Games

The forest got darker, and the air was eerily still. Fewer evergreen trees contributed to the landscape as it began to look more and more like a jungle.

The bushes rustled. "What was that?" Cat shrank closer to Ludo.

"Ludo scared." Cat pat his arm.

"I am a bit nervous myself."

Creature and Chewy were leading the way, sniffing the ground and air as they walked. "Arf!" Creature barked, and him and Chewy stopped in their tracks. Bushes rustled again, closer this time. Hoggle hid behind Ludo's legs, and the dogs began to bark in warning to whatever was approaching, trying to scare them away.

Out of the forest ran a sheep dog, yapping fearfully. On his back was a small creature, a plumed had covering his eyes. "Ambrosias!" I think you are going the wrong way. The evil doers are behind us!" Ambrosias, the sheep dog skidded to a stop, looking from Ludo to Hoggle, yipping happily. He jumped at Ludo, spilling his rider.

"Fwend!" Ludo laughed, and Hoggle scowled. The plumed had wearing little being popped the hat off his head, righting it.

"Sir Ludo! Sir Hoggle!" He grinned, sharp white teeth gleaming in the dim light.

"Ya shouldn't jump out at people. I coulda hurt ya!" Hoggle said gruffly, walking out from behind Ludo's legs.

Cat just laughed. "Yes, its a good thing Ludo's leg was in your way."

"M' Lady!" The creature bowed deeply. "I am Sir Didymus, Lord of this forest!"

Catherine laughed, charmed. "I'm Catherine."

"Ah, Lady Catherine. Thou shouldn't be in these woods. Horrible things are afoot. I am going to have to insist upon escorting you."

Cat checked the dogs, they were sniffing each other out, but otherwise seemed to be getting along. "I don't see any reason you couldn't, Sir Didymus."

He bowed again, and the dogs walked together ahead of the group, sniffing again as they walked.

"I hate that I have no sense of time here." Cat sighed. "I don't know how much time I have left or how far I have to go."

"You are close, Milady. I can assure you of that." Didymus smiled his pointed grin again.

"Woooooooooooooooooowah!" An orange object blurred past them. The dogs stood rigidly, teeth bared. Well, Chewy and Creature did. Ambrosias whimpered and hit behind Ludo, fighting with Hoggle for a place.

A headless orange bird followed shortly behind the object.

"FORE!" Out of the woods, another bird stood on one leg, using his other leg to hit the head back towards the headless bird like a golf ball.

"Firies! Stand back Lady Catherine. I shall defend you with my life!"

The headless one caught his head, putting it back in place. " 'Ey der! Anuder pretty lady to play wid!"

"She looks like she be fun!" The other one came onto the path.

"Stand and deliver, you cur!" Didymus began to bark.

"It be our little friend. De barkin' one!" One called into the trees. A group of whooping and hollering birds descended upon the travelers out of the trees.

"He bringin us more friends. Dey gwonna play?"

"Play catch wid der heads?"

"I wan de girls head."

"Dats mine!"

The firies argued back in forth about who would play with whose head, when one hit another, the eyes popping it out of it's head.

" 'Eh, mon!" The eyeless firie scooped down and grabbed them, popping them back in place. The firies lined up in front of them, blocking the path.

"Get out of my way!" Catherine marched up to the firies, Chewy and Creature flanking her on either side.

"She don' wanna play!"

"Take 'er 'ead, she play den!"

"Leave my head alone!" Cat stomped her feet.

The firies circled around her and the dogs, reaching for her head.

"Milady!" Sir Didymus lunged at a firie, latching his teeth around a leg. Chewy and Creature each grabbed a firie limb, disconnecting a leg and arm from an unsuspecting assailant. Cat saw what they were doing and began knocking off heads and tearing hands off of arms, throwing them into the woods.

"'Eh der! Dat cheatin'!" A firie protested just before Cat threw another head. Ludo lumbered over to join the fight, leaving Hoggle and Ambrosias to fight over who got to hide behind who.

When many firies were reduced to just a torso, those who still had limbs began to relent. "We gotta get der 'eads!" One yelled.

"We gotta get arms, den der 'eads!" They released Cat, and she broke into a run. Sir Didymus mounted Ambrosias, and Ludo, still wearing his Cat hat, scooped up Hoggle, and they ran off like a pack, Cat, Chewy and Creature leading the way.


	18. Of Angry Kings

An evil chuckle filtered through the throne room. For the first time in seven hours, Jareth didn't feel the need to smash a crystal or kick a goblin. Now the only thing standing in the way of him receiving two large prizes was that ridiculous book. He wasn't sure if she made it to the end before the baby ripped the pages out. Barring that, he was guaranteed at least one great reward.

"But two is always better than one…" He murmured, sprawling our on his throne. "Even those animals didn't turn out to be as big of an advantage as I thought they would be."

He chuckled again, looking back on the firie incident. He turned to the baby. "But I would like to keep you both." He sighed. "I think its time I visited your auntie personally."

Kennedy giggled, latching on to a goblin back his horns and trying to climb to his head.

"Gah! It's got me! It's got me!" The goblin began to flail its stubby arms, attempting to unlatch the toddler.

"Nyah!" She pushed his helmet over his eyes, and his flailing ended with a splat as he fell face first on the ground, Kennedy sitting on his back as if he was her throne.

"Yes, I definitely would like to have you both.


	19. Of Corn and Other Yellow Things

The forest opened up on a large cornfield, row after row of golden maze the only thing standing between the motley crew and the junkyard just outside the Goblin City. The castle and its twisted towards loomed above them, so close that Cat could practically taste her victory. She turned back to the group and smiled.

"We're almost there!"

"Yes, you are." Cat jumped as a velvety voice floated over her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his body all to close to her. Whirling around to face him, she was surprised to see just how far away he actually was.

"Out of my way, Goblin King."

"Oh, I plan on it, but wouldn't you like to know how much time you have left?"

Cat crossed her arms over her chest, staring silently at the king. "I will take your silence as a yes…" The edge of the corn maze formed a large clock face, the hour hand directly in between seven and eight. "So close, and yet there is so much left to do."

"Then I suppose I had better get to work." Cat continued to stair the Goblin King down, waiting for him to move out of her way.

"Many more challenges far worse than anything you have experienced lie ahead." The faint sound of water trickling gave the Goblin King pause. He sniffed a couple of times, and looked down in disgust. Chewy had his leg lifted over the King's boot, urinating up his calf as creature squatted over the other foot, eliminating excrement from his bowls and leaving it as a present on the boot of the Goblin King.

"Hear me, Catherine. Whether you solve my Labyrinth or not, I will take your dreadful animals from you." The king narrowed his eyes. _That is twice now, _he thought to himself.

The warning was ominous, but Catherine could help but laugh out loud at the picture before her. "Come here, guys." She called the dogs away and pet them each on the head. "We'll be on our way now," Cat walked past the King, leading the way back into the maze, carefully skirting the steaming pile of dog crap that the king shook off his boot, chuckling all the way.

The king watched them all disappear into the corn stalks, all the while planning ways to make their lives miserable.


	20. Of Ears and Doors and Drama, Oh My!

The corn maze had the narrowest corridors of any part of the Labyrinth that Cat had yet to experience. The corn grew almost 8 feet high, and it was not like the corn from back home. Cat knew corn. She was from Iowa, for crying out loud. But instead of golden years of sweet corn, or brown and white Indian corn, or even feed corn sprouting from the stalks, the stalks were literally growing ears.

There were people ears, elf ears, goblin ears, even ears like those the Aboveground animals had. There were elephant ears, rabbit ears, dog-ears and pig ears. It was macabre, to say the least, body parts emanating from vegetation.

"This is-" Cat was about to comment when Sir Didymous lifted a hand to silence her.

"The ears work, Milady. Choose your words wisely, for they will determine if we make it out of here in a timely manner."

Cat nodded, looking both ways at an intersection, unsure of what way to choose. "Left, or right, guys?" She bit her lip, so close, not wanting to make another mistake that could way lay her.

Ludo, who was tall enough that he could stand on his tip toes and be level with the top of the corn, came up behind Catherine, Na-Na standing up on his head and looking each way. Through some silent secret means of communication, Na-Na seemed to speak to Ludo. "Left bad…"

Catherine pat his arm. "Thanks Ludo. And Na-Na." She smiled, taking the lead. "I wonder how this maze came to be…" She mused, looking at the menagerie of ears.

"It is just one of the mysteries of the Labyrinth, Lady Catherine." Sir Didymous was riding Ambrosias next to her. "You are very close, Milady." He smiled up at Catherine, and she sadly returned the smile. "Why do you not look triumphant? You are winning a great battle."

"I know. I just-" Catherine sighed. "It's a long story."

"Cat sad?" Ludo asked from close behind Catherine.

"Not sad, exactly, but its bittersweet."

"What's wrong with you?" Hoggle looked up at Cat.

"I guess I just am not looking forward to going home to an empty house. I'll miss you guys." Cat smiled at her new friends.

"I am sure there is a handsome prince awaiting your return." Sir Didymous smiled knowingly.

"Not anymore."

"Why?" Asked Hoggle.

"He died." Cat didn't elaborate, but kept walking. At this point, she was certain she wasn't going out when she got home. It would have been her first time out in months.

"Ludo sowwy." No one asked her to say any more, something she was very glad of, as they made heir way through the maze. There was an uncomfortable silence as they continued to travel on, twists and turns becoming less frequent as they neared what they assumed was the end of yet another stage of the Labyrinth. The mid day sun was shining on the maize maze.

"There is just no sense of time here." Catherine marveled. She had seen two noons, a night, and not one dusk since she had come into the Labyrinth.

"Maybe not for an Abovegrounder, but it makes perfect sense to me."

Cat started. The end of the corridor was no longer made of corn, but of two doors, each with a large face. The face on the left had spoken.

"Well, at least it makes sense to someone." Cat smiled.

The door on the right returned her smile. "Nothin' makes sense to him, he just likes to pretend."

"To each their own." Cat shrugged. "So tell me, where do these doors go?" Cat cocked her head, and Ludo tried to peek over the top.

"No where!" Ludo moaned.

"No Cheating!" The door on the left snapped.

"Sowwy…" Ludo said sheepishly.

"One door leads to the junkyard at the edge of the Goblin City, the other leads back to the Beginning of the Labyrinth. One of us always lies, and one of us always tells the truth." The one on the right patiently explained.

"He always lies." The one on the left accused.

"I always tell the truth." The one on the right defended himself.

"Okay, so one of you is lying right now, and one isn't. So, one of you will tell me the opposite of what each door is-"

"And you can only ask one of us which way is which." Pointed out the one on the left.

"Hmmm… okay." Cat smiled a little mischievously and turned to the door on the right. "Do you go to the Labyrinth entrance?"

"No." Announced the one on the right. With an eyebrow raised, Cat turned to the one on the left.

"Do you lead to the Castle?"

"Yes."

"Lady Catherine, you were only supposed to ask one." Sir Didymous looked confused.

"Well, according to him. That's why I asked the other one. The one on the right said they don't go to the entrance, and I knew if the one on the left answered a question, he had been lying. If one always lies, then however he answered, if he did, he had to be the liar, meaning the other told the truth." Catherine proudly announced her deduction.

"Head Hurt…" Ludo held his head in his hands.

"Howd'ya know that?" Hoggle was in awe.

"I smoke a lot of weed." Cat announced matter of factly. "I'll take the right, please."

The door on the right swung open, and the group filter through, the door slamming shut behind them with finality.

"How'd she know?" Left asked Righty.

"I don't get it myself. Who knows?"


	21. Of Crying, Clutter and More Lost Animals

"She is getting too close!" The king stomped around the throne room. "This is going to take an expert…" He focused into an orb, and barked orders at a goblin in the junkyard

_______________________________

The junkyard sprawled out in front of them, a maze in itself. All sorts of discarded things were piled up into the air, some balanced so precariously only magic could possibly be keeping them up.

Some of the items seemed to be various and sundry garbage from the Goblin City, but a majority of it looked like children's toys, books and movies.

"Look at all of this stuff!" Cat was full of awe as she looked around. There were toys discarded that she had only dreamed of having as a child.

"Remnants of childhood as its shed for adult hood." Sir Didymous explained.

"My stuff might be here too then?"

"Only if ye gave up on childhood completely." Hoggle added.

"Hmmm…" Cat's curiousity was getting the best of her, and if she had unlimited time, she would have made a point of searching out her past.

"Don' go getting' any idears. It's easy ta git lost here." Hoggle advised.

"Yes, its best to stick together." Didymous agreed.

"Junk bad." Ludo said, matter of factly as Chew and Creature were sniffing frantically, and they began to bark, running off from the group.

"Stop!" Cat called, chasing after them.

"Milady!"

"I can't lose them!" She called back over her shoulder as she ran. She finally caught up with the dogs as they sniffed around a large junk pile. One that looked like it had a door.

Cat began to climb the pile of rubble and junk leading up to the door, following after Chew and Creature. They began to whine and scratch at the door.

"Watch where your stepping, missy!" Catherine jumped, looking around for the source of the voice. "I said git offa my back!"

Catherine noticed the ground beneath her feet appeared to be moving. She lept higher upon the junk pile, and the ground that was moving now was standing up right, strapped to the back of a hag that looked like a shriveled prune.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Cat looked at the strange woman. "You're a goblin?"

"And your point is?"

"I've just never had the chance to meet one yet." Cat shrugged. "Can you show me where the gate to the city is?" Cat asked, getting a little uncomfortable from the silent scrutiny of the old goblin woman. The dogs kept whining, scratching at the door.

"After I show you something much better." Her voice was shrill, and she walked up to the door in the junk. "Come on ,missy." Cat walked up next to her and the shriveled goblin swung the door open.

"I'm… Home." Catherine whispered, the dogs yipping happily as they dashed into the house, running up and down the livingroom and kitchen. Cat took a deep breath in, reveling in the semll of apple cinnamon and stale cannibas. She ran to the batheroom, doing some business and flushing before the wrinkled old woman walked in.

"It's good to be home, ain't it, missy?"

Cat nodded, smiling into the mirror as she touched up her makeup. The old woman hobbled out and came back in, carrying her red leather book. "Here's a book for ya. Readin' is good for the mind." She handed it to Cat, left, and came back. "Slippers keep your feet warm, and your favorite hat, and the pillow you can't sleep without-" The old woman piled the things on Cat's back as she named them. "Here's Chewies toy and your favorite heels. And some lipstick. Get nice and pretty for when your hubby comes home."

Cat's eyes widened. "Rusty?"

"He's on his way right now, missy!"

The dogs were barking madly, and Cat rushed past the old woman into the living room. "Daddy is coming home, boys!" She scooped up her dogs, spinning and dancing in excitement. "Daddy is on his way! I missed him so much. Daddy is-" Cat cut off, remembering something from a long time ago, in another world. "Dead." She set the dogs down and walked back to the woman. "How dare you?!" She grabbed a stiletto and began smashing things in the façade of her home. Plywood and stucko fell from the walls and the floor began to rumble as she picked the dogs backed up. The back wall fell off and she rushed out as the imposter of her home crumbled in on itself behind her.

She sobbed, holding her dogs close as she broke down for a moment. It was like he had died all over again, she felt like she did when she first found out about the accident.

"I'm sorry, babies." She sobbed into her dogs' coats. "Daddy isn't coming home. Ever." She could almost smell him, the house had been exactly as it was when it had all happened, and she gave in to her emotions, unable to move from that spot as her dogs whimpered in her arms.


	22. Of Group Hugs and Reunions

**A/N - **I just wanted to thank Notwritten for commenting on just about EVERY chapter I've posted so far. You've pretty much been the reason I finished posting it. It's nice to know someone wants to see how this ends! The good news is, its done. The bad news? I'm putting off the sequal to write a Supernatural Fan fic. I guess that goes both ways. If you hate this one, me not doing a sequal should make your day. If you don't like Supernatural, then you probably aren't a warm blooded female between the ages of 14 and 35. Anyways! Here's the next Chapter!

* * *

"Cat!"

"Lady Catherine!"

"Catherine!"

"MEOW!"

Ludo, Sir Didymous, Hoggle, and Na-Na all called after Catherine, trying to find her and the dogs amongst the piles of discarded childhood dreams.

"It's been almost an hour." Hoggle tried to be gruff to cover his worry. "We ain't gonna find 'em in time."

"We can't give up, Sir Hoggle! Tis our duty as chivalrous lords of the realm to find her in her time of distress." Sir Didymous and Ambrosias led the way.

"I ain't no lord. I ain't chivalrous. I'm just Hoggle." Hoggle waddled on.

"Cat Fwend."

"That she is, Ludo." Didymous smiled, rounding a corner in the junkyard. "Lady Catherine!" Sir Didymous spurred Ambrosias forward, rushing towards a junk pile next to a heap of rubble. Cat sat on top of the heap, holding her dogs and sobbing. Even Chewy and Creature were whimpering.

"Oh, Didymous!" Cat scooped him and Ambrosias into her embrace.

"Goodness!" Sir Didymous was startled. In his Quixote mind, women were not usually so forward.

Ludo lumbered up with Hoggle, scooping him into the group embrace, Hoggle protesting weakly before succumbing to the show of emotions, patting Cat's head.

"Milady, you must go on. There isn't time for sorrow now!"

"Cat stwong!"

Ambrosia lucked Catherine's chin, nuzzling at her occasionally, and Na-Na wound in between everyone, mewing loudly.

At the castle, the Goblin King checked the time. The clock was going to strike 11 soon, and Catherine and her friends had been sitting in the same spot for quite some time. The Labyrinth inhabitants were crowded around the chit, obscuring her face from the Goblin King's orbital view.

He felt something tugging in his stomach, a pulling and tightening. He cocked his head to the side, trying to analyze what the feeling meant. He flopped onto his throne, sprawling out as he looked into the orb again. When he looked away, the feeling lessened, and the longer he stared, the more intense it got.

"Nyah!"

Looking down, he smiled to see his Goblin to Be reaching up for his attention. He scooped her up, setting her on his belly, bouncing her a bit. She reached to the orb, touching it more gently than she had touched or interacted with anything so far. She sniffed once. Twice. Three times. "NYAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" She screamed for the first time since she had first come to the Goblin King's castle.

"Drat!" The king bounced harder. "What is wrong with you?"

Kennedy pointed at the orb. "Sad." She bawled harder.

"Hmmm…" The pulling in the king's gut moved to his chest, and up to his throat. "Sympathy." He trailed off in thought for a moment. "Guilt?" He contemplated his involvement in Cat's upset for a moment, debating whether or not the tightness was some sort of reaction to his actions. "Nah." He laughed a bit at the novelty of the idea.

"Nyah!" The toddler grabbed the orb, shaking it like a snow globe, trying to change the image. "NYAH!" With an angry grunt, Kennedy tossed the orb against the ground. It cracked, and then shattered, a pile of glittering dust contributing to the dirt and grime of the throne room.

"That's my girl!" The Goblin King rubbed Kennedy's head as her bawling turned into a silent glare up at the Goblin King


	23. Of Strange Man Like Things

Catherine hiccupped. "We had better get a move on." She wiped her tears and gave her friends one last squeeze. "Thank you, guys."

The group hung slowly dissolved, and Ludo helped Cat to her feet. "We are incredibly close, Milady." Sir Didymous smiled brightly, trying to raise Catherine's spirits.

Catherine smiled weakly. "Lets get this over with." Cat again was filled with bittersweet emotions, but she was determined to soldier on, for Kennedy if not for herself.

"Follow us…" Hoggle hopped down from the junk pile, leading the way.

"We've all been here before, Lady Catherine, but the Labyrinth changes so much, I don't know if it is to our advantage or our detriment." Sir Didymous followed after Hoggle, and Ludo offered a hand to help Catherine down.

"Ludo Help."

"You are all a great help, Ludo." Cat squeezed his large, calloused hand, and smiled as Na-Na strutted back into her seat on Ludo's head, purring quietly.

Chewy yipped, him and Creature sticking close to Cat as they wandered again through the junk piles.

They could see the walls of the Goblin City, towers and battlements guarded by sleeping and drunken Goblin soldiers.

"So here is the wall, now all we need is to find the gate." Cat scrutinized the walls closely, looking for any hint of an opening. She was not going to take anything for granted from this point on.

"Easier said than done." Hoggle harrumphed, marching onward with Didymous as Catherine, Ludo, and the dogs lagged behind. They rounded a corner in the wall, and Catherine gasped. She faced the wall, and in front of her was a 30 foot monster, looking to be built into the wall. Its eyes were closed, and its heavy metallic arms were at its side.

"Ludo!" Cat whispered frantically, sure she'd found the door, but not wanting to wake the rock and metal beast. "Hoggle! Didymous!" They'd all gotten too far ahead of her to hear her frantic whispering. Even Ludo had lumbered on before here. Biting her lip, she looked around for another option. She grabbed a rock, lobbing it at her friends.

"What the-!?" Hoggle hollered, stamping his feet as he turned around. "What'd you-?" Catherine was waving her arms, trying to motion for silence and for her friends to return to her.

"Lady Catherine! What on earth!?"

"GOD! Just come here!" She yelled, turning back to the wall monster. Slowly, she stepped back as the beast opened its eyes, yawning.

Cat stepped back again, ready to scream. "Who's there?" The beast was looking around for the source of his disturbance. He noticed Cat, and bent closer, his large eyes scrutinizing her like she scrutinized his wall "Hello, little pretty one!"

Cat was frozen in shock as the monster lifted her up, grinning with metallic teeth. "Can't you talk?" He asked, his head cocked to the side. Catherine nodded silently.

"Unhand her, fiend!" Didymous called from below.

The beast ignored him like a person would ignore a pesky fly. "Are you trying to get to the Castle?"

Catherine didn't know the right answer, so instead of talking or shaking her head, she screamed.

"Shhhhhhh! You're going to bring the whole goblin army down on us!" He cautioned. Not that he was too worried. He was made of stone and metal, after all.

Cat stopped abruptly. "Us?"

"Aiding a runner is strictly prohibited."

"So, you're not going to eat me?"

He guffawed, shaking the walls. "Eat you? No nearly enough meat on your bones!" He quieted his barking laughter.

"Stand and deliver!" Didymous yelled again.

"Are they with you?" The monster asked, a metal eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, they are my friends." Cat smiled. "Oh, and I'm Cat by the way. Aren't you supposed to stop me, or something?"

"Well, yes. But any enemy of the Goblin King is an enemy of mine. And I like your face." He smiled down at Catherine, a twinkle in his eye.

"I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense for the Goblin King to assign someone who doesn't like him to guarding his city, but to each their own, I guess." Catherine shrugged. She didn't want to press her luck in the situation. "Um, how are you going to help us?"

Well, we'll have to make it good, so… Ah, well the King is probably watching as we speak, so I am going to get busted either way. I might as well just lift you right over the wall." The rock and metal monster smiled again, not seeming to mind that he was jeopardizing himself.

"You scurvy-!"

"Sir Didymous! Be quiet, he's trying to help us!" Catherine yelled down.

"Arf!" Creature was wagging his tail, and Chewy had his fore paws on the monster's leg, yipping cheerfully.

"See?" Cat smiled as the bucket of bolts and bricks bend over to scoop up all of Cat's comrades. When they were all seated, he gingerly set them down on the other side of the wall. He was especially careful with Catherine, Na-Na, Chewy and Creature.

"Can you spare a moment to smoke?" He asked, metallic eyebrows raised, eyes still twinkling. Catherine was surprised by the question, but loaded him a bowl. He lifted her back up and she held the paraphernalia to his lips, lighting it. He sucked in, cashing the bowl in one hit before sucking the whole pipe in through his mouth.

He banged on his chest a couple of times, and he coughed the pipe back up into Cat's hands, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry."

Cat's smile was brighter than it had been in a while. "It's okay. Need a cigarette?" She asked, digging in her purse.

"You smoke menthols still, right?"

"How'd you know?" She was intrigued by his familiarity with these Aboveground things.

"You looked like the type."

Cat's eyes were slightly suspicious as she set the cigarette on his huge lips, again lightening it for him. One drag and it was gone. He again set her gently down. Softly, he pet creature and Chewy, Na-Na rubbing on his fingers.

"Thanks babe," He smiled at Catherine and turned to the animals. "And be good for your mom." The dogs barked, and Cat and the underground inhabitants went on their way.

Babe?" She questioned. Cat didn't know why, but she didn't want to leave the large mechanical man. She turned back to him, but he'd already resumed his place in the wall, sound asleep with a smile on his face.


	24. Of Diaper Duty and the Goblin City

The Goblin City was dilapidated, completely run down. Houses were made of brown stucco and mud, some had tile roves, but most were thatched of straw and pitch. Some sort of magic had to be what held them upright, because there was absolutely no structural soundness. Most one-story dwellings were barely as tall as Catherine, and the two story buildings were about as tall as Ludo.

The roads were paved in bricks, and they appeared to made with the left overs from the construction of the city and castle. Chickens, surprisingly normal, pecked and clucked around the roads, which were incredibly narrow, almost like alleys by the Aboveground standards. It was so dingy in the city that there was no time of day, it was just gray.

"There is no rhyme or reason here…" Cat muttered, assuming that as long as they continued up hill they were on the right track.

"You should have seen how it used to be, Lady Catherine." Didymous rode on a shaking ambrosias. "The city used to change just like the rest of the Labyrinth, but goblins kept getting lost and turning up in places they didn't belong, so the king had to relent, and make the city completely stationary.

"That's good for us…" Cat was relieved.

"That just means the Goblin Army will be able to find us." Hoggle was walking behind the dogs. Cat had leashed Chewy and Creature back up so Hoggle could be pulled by them if need be. He would never agree to that, of course, so it was all rigged up under the guise of keeping the dogs from peeing on things unnecessarily, so Hoggle thought it was strictly for the purpose of helping out.

"God, this place!" Catherine sighed.

"Goblins mean." Ludo even had a pout. Cat smiled up at him.

"We'll just have to be masters of subterfuge!" Didymous voice was getting slightly higher, both in pitch and in volume.

"Didymous! Subterfuge requires you to be quiet!" Cat shushed him.

"Let them come!" Didymous practically yelled.

Catherine scooped him up, a hand over his mouth as his feet dangled. "SHHHHHE! We don't want to make this any more difficult than it already is!" Didymous sighed and deflated a bit as Cat set him back on Ambrosias.

"I suppose you are right, Milady."

The orb that was showing the throne room in sparkles now was not one that had been thrown, but one that had been crushed in the Goblin King's hand.

"They are nearing the courtyard of the Goblin City!" He threw the remaining sparkles towards a wall, but it didn't give him nearly the same satisfaction as the orb itself would have brought as it shattered and smashed.

Kennedy, in her stone and pillow playpen, didn't acre either way. Sparkles were sparkles, and there were so many shiny things in this place that any toddler girl would be in heaven. She giggled, clapping her chubby little hands.

"Hush!" The Goblin King hissed to the babe, assuming that she was cheering for her aunt and undermining him. "Or I will turn you into a goblin this very instant. Or bog you. Or-!"

"THHHHHWWWWWP!" The little girl blew a raspberry in the king's face before puckering her own in concentration.

Jareth sniffed twice before backing off in revulsion. "Ugh! Diaper duty!"

A particularly large Goblin marched into the throne room, goblins parting like the red sea. His helmet protected his ears, and a large pair of aviator goggles covered his nose and mouth. The get up caused him to look like a great fly as he approached the baby.

"And when you are done there, send out the army." Jareth conjured another orb, watching Cat and her friends meander through the city. He looked back over his shoulder.

The diaper duty was running madly away from the bottomless toddler as she waved her dirty diaper at him like a victory flag. The king smiled, resolving to do what he had to, to keep the girls in his Labyrinth.

A/N-

So, I had trouble reading what I had previously written out in my notebook because my boyfriend, who I love dearly, spit on it. In a drunken stupor of course. That is my excuse for why some parts of this chapter may or may not be literarily perfect. If they aren't, just review to let me know, so I can tweak. Thanks!


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